Plan Your Degree

The ES program offers a unique combination of structure and flexibility not found in most programs at the University of Illinois. Since most students are not accustomed to the level of choice we offer in our majors, the ES program has professors ready to advise you on tailoring your degree.

• Open a Major Planning Form

One Concentration (18-22 hours)

• Society and Environment (SAE) OR
• Science of the Earth System (SES)

ES Introductory Core: Required Courses (10 hours)

• ESE 200: Earth's Physical Systems
• ENSU 300: Environmental Sustainability
• ESE 379: Intro to GIS Systems

ES Advanced Courses (18-24 hours)

• Six advanced courses from the approved list, four must be from the ESE or ENSU rubric.

Choose a Concentration

After studying cross-disciplinary introductory classes, ESES students choose to focus in one of two concentrations, depending on their developing interests.

• STAT 100  (3 hours)
• ECON 102  (3 hours)
• PS 100  or PS 101 (3 hours)
• Introductory Social Sciences (10-12 hours)
  Select 2 courses:
  • ANTH 101 (3 hours)
  • ANTH 102  (3 hours)
  • GGIS 101  (3 hours)
  • GGIS 104  (4 hours)
  • SOC 100  (4 hours)
• Introductory Earth's Physical Systems Course (3-4 hours)
  Select 1 course:
• GEOL 100, GEOL 107, ESE 103, ESE 117, ESE 118, ESE 120, ESE 140

Substitutions may be made with advisor approval.

The SAE concentration offers a balanced cross-disciplinary social science/humanities education, emphasizing the political, socio-cultural, economic, and historical dimensions of sustainability. Students in this track might be interested in focusing on these areas:

• Environmental Policy
• Environmental Economics
• Studies in Science and Technology
• Social Valuation of Environmental Systems
• Social Studies of the Physical Environment
• Environmental History
• Social Movements and the Environment
• Perceptions of Environmental Risk
• Environmental Ethics

• CHEM 102  (3 hours)
• CHEM 103  (1 hour)
• MATH 220 or MATH 221  (4-5 hours)
• STAT 100  (3 hours)
• PHYS 101 or PHYS 211   (4-5 hours)
• GEOL 107 or IB 150 (4 hours)

Substitutions may be made with advisor approval.

The SES concentration is a rigorous scientific program in the geophysical and ecological sciences focused on the complexity and interactions of natural systems. Students in this track might be interested in focusing on these areas:

• Water/Hydrology
• Ecology and Ecosystems
• Data and Modeling
• Engineering and Management Practices
• Climate and Global Change
• Biogeochemical Cycles
• Types of Pollution and Their Sources
• Remote Sensing
• Sustainability Applications of GIS
• Green Chemistry

Note

1. A minimum of 120 hours of coursework is required for graduation, including twelve hours of advanced (400-level or approved 300-level) courses that must be taken on this campus.
2. All foreign language requirements for the College of LAS must be satisfied.
3. A Major Plan of Study form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office, ideally by the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours).
4. Study abroad courses may be substituted for major and minor requirements with the approval of the advisor.
5. There are two ESES minor options, the ESES minor and the Environmental Fellows Program minor.
6. Double majoring is generally allowed, as per the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ guidelines, with the following exception: Undergraduate students may not major in both ESES and in a major directed by one of the three departments (Geology, Geography, and Atmospheric Science) that make up the School without the explicit approval of the ESES advisor.

7. Departmental Distinctions are awarded as follows:

   Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3, and have also completed an approved independent study project, approved senior thesis, or approved capstone.

   High Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5, and have also completed an approved independent study project, approved senior thesis, or approved capstone.

   Highest Distinction: A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.7, and also completed an approved senior thesis or approved research capstone.

8. Graduate programs may require additional coursework. All students who wish to attend graduate school in any field should discuss any necessary supplementary coursework with their advisor as early as possible.